The wheel lift system for towing has been used in the towing industry for roughly the last fifteen years. More and more vehicles were coming out with fiberglass or composite body panels, and it was becoming obvious the safest way to tow a vehicle was by attaching to the wheels. The sling method was becoming out dated.
Although the wheel lift system has many advantages, there may be problems, too. One problem occurs between the wheel lift and the undercarriage of many front wheel drive vehicles. Typically, the operator of a tow vehicle will pick the vehicle up by the drive wheels whenever possible to prevent damage to the drive train. The drive train on many front wheel drive vehicles is completely exposed and does not have any protection such as frame components to protect the engine and/or transmission oil pans. With the added complication of older vehicles having a worn suspension, it is critical to have adequate clearance between the undercarriage of the vehicle and the wheel lift of the tow vehicle before transporting the vehicle.
Adequate clearance may be difficult to achieve with the wheel lift system. The operator of the tow vehicle may proceed to transport the vehicle, thinking that adequate clearance has been achieved, but driving over a pothole or bump or other uneven road surface may prove otherwise. One of the greatest damage claim payouts throughout the industry is oil pan damage, ranging from $200.00 to $1,500.00 for a single repair. In a given year, such claims occur frequently enough to become a costly annoyance to the average fleet of tow vehicles. For the owner-operator of a towing service, even one or two in a year may take a financial toll in terms of increased insurance costs, customer dissatisfaction, and time spent both in preventing future claims and settling past claims.
For most operators of tow vehicles, the main method used to gain adequate clearance is to attach to the vehicle using the wheel lift, raise the vehicle, place a block of wood under each of the raised wheels, lower the vehicle onto the blocks and reattach the vehicle with a tighter fit around the tires. This allows the vehicle to ride higher in the wheel lift, and helps gain some additional clearance. This process also has to be performed when unloading the vehicle. This method is time consuming and cumbersome and not always reliable. Generally, there is much more work involved to transport these vehicles.